Labyrinth
by SumikotheGREAT
Summary: Attica still stands, and below its streets lurks a bloodthirsty creature that feasts on the blood of daughters of the nobility. Twenty-year-old Sinbad is tasked with slaying it. If he finishes his job and leaves without scandal, he'll have secured the new Sindria's prosperity. All he has to do is keep his hands off the king's daughter. Courage AU
1. Beast

Attica had many stories. Its people lived and breathed them, worshiping the heroes and gods within them alike. Epic romances, adventures, and mysteries had been passed down through generations until the lines between myth and reality were lost.

Sinbad was himself a legend, and in Attica he was counted among the ranks of immortals. Men gawked as he strode past, and women swooned. He had a cult here, a group of worshipers that regarded him as a deity in the flesh. They gave offerings at a small temple, which he had demanded be distributed among the needy. He was a patron of slaves and merchants, and now the poor as well.

Perhaps it was his renown among the people that had caught the king's attention. Hypatos Alexandris, ruler of a crumbled empire, had extended an invitation to Sinbad, welcoming him to a banquet of heroes. Ever mindful of opportunities to advance his own interests, Sinbad had accepted.

"You may be wondering," the stern man said, his back rigid against his golden throne, "why I have called you here."

"It has crossed my mind." The man reclining on the couch next to Sinbad's raised himself on one elbow. He was built like a statue of bronze, every rippling muscle accentuated by his oiled skin. Adonis, he was called.

"The princess is of age, I hear." The man on Sinbad's other side folded his hands together thoughtfully. He was leaner, built like a runner. "If I'm correct, you've sought us out to be her suitors." This one was Theseus, according to the guard who had announced his arrival.

"Doubtless you've heard rumors of my daughter's beauty." Hypatos's face seemed to be stuck in a permanent scowl.

When he spent time in Attica, Sinbad heard many whispers about the princess, all of them contradictory. Some said she was the picture of chastity, others that she had slept with every guard in the palace, and still others said she preyed on vulnerable young women, seducing them like some kind of succubus. She was a mysterious figure, only making public appearances during festivals. The rest of the time, her father kept her locked away, hidden from the world that sought to corrupt her— or perhaps to keep her from ensnaring the hearts of men. It was said she had been blessed by the goddess of beauty with the ability to bewitch any man. Naturally, Sinbad was curious about the face that had inspired such dramatic gossip.

"They're exaggerated." Hypatos' frown seemed to deepen, assuming that were even possible. "But, no, That is not the reason you're here."

Adonis deflated just a little. Given that whoever married the princess would inherit the title of king, he supposed the reaction made sense. Sinbad, too, wanted the power the title conferred. Since he was fourteen, he had traveled the world, conquering dungeons, amassing money and power. At eighteen, he founded his first country and lost it due to his allies' betrayals. He had absorbed the angry spirits of the people lost that day, and the chaos they had wrought inside his body had nearly torn him in two. For a year, he'd studied magoi manipulation with the Yambala tribe, learning to control the dark energy inside him. Then, over the last three months, he'd collected two more metal vessels— Furfur and Focalor— on top of the three he already possessed.

Each of the djinn contained in the metal vessels had judged him worthy of kingship. If this were a matter of who was to inherit the throne, Sinbad was fairly confident the others would not be here. No one was more suited to that position than him. A voice inside his head affirmed his conviction.

"You are special, beloved by destiny. They're not even worthy to kiss your feet."

The voice in his head— David, it called itself— had appeared at the same time he'd absorbed all those vengeful spirits. At first, Sinbad had thought he was losing his mind. He still wasn't convinced that wasn't the case.

"Show them how special you are."

Sinbad sat up straight, taking a sip of his pathetically watered-down wine before speaking. "This is about the disappearances, isn't it? Every year, on the eleventh day of the tenth month, an aristocratic young girl goes missing. The nobility has been clamoring for a solution, and you can't ignore them anymore. They're threatening your daughter, the last member of your bloodline."

Sinbad was grateful to his right-hand man, Ja'far, for forcing him to study Attican affairs before every visit. After all, it wasn't the princess's hand in marriage that he wanted from the king. He was perfectly capable of building a country on his own, and relying on others never served his interests. Powerful people played dangerous games, and Sinbad had learned the rules the hard way.

"You're correct on all accounts but one." The king glanced toward the guards, then back at the men. "What is said here is not to leave this room, do you understand?"

Sinbad sat back smugly, having outshone the other guests thoroughly.

"Underneath this island, there is a network of tunnels that dates back to ancient times. About ten years ago, we discovered a vein of Nemian gold, a material that has not been seen since the great goddess Asena walked the earth."

Nemian gold… That was what Sinbad wanted, exclusive trading rights to this most precious of metals. It was said to be impervious to all weapons and even most magic. Attica had been refusing to sell it at any cost, but Sinbad hadn't gotten where he was now by giving up at the first hardship.

"More recently, we uncovered something else down there— a labyrinth, of sorts. Within it dwells an abomination— half man, half beast. It's a blood-thirsty creature bent on devouring anyone that crosses its path. We cannot send men down there to repair the wall. Even our fiercest warriors in our strongest armor have been killed. I consulted with the priestess of Asena, who said that by feeding him the blood of a noble maiden, his restlessness will be sated. He'll still murder anyone who crosses his path, but he won't try to leave the underground tunnels. The girls are not missing. They are sacrificed."

"You want us to slay the beast?" Adonis laughed. "And what do we get in return? Gold? I already have it. No, Your Majesty, there is one thing I'll risk my life for." He sat up straight, a smirk creeping across his lips. "Your daughter's hand."

Theseus nodded in agreement. "Your Majesty, we already have wealth and glory."

"But not honor." Hypatos stood up, gazing down at the three men disdainfully. "You would think you were worthy to be my heir?" He turned his fiery eyes to Sinbad. "And you, do you covet my daughter's hand as well?"

Sinbad stood, placing his hand on his heart to convey the earnesty with which he spoke. "Your Majesty, I have the power to rid you of this problem once and for all. My only request is that in return, you grant sole trading rights of Nemian gold to Sindria."

The king's expression lost some of its severity. "I see I was right to listen to my daughter when she spoke highly of you. Very well. The three of you will be my champions. Whoever slays the beast and brings me it's head first will win the prize he has chosen."

* * *

_**A/N: I'm going to try to keep this version rated T and post the explicit version on AO3. And if anyone's wondering, I haven't given up on Courage, I just can't be as productive as I was before.**_


	2. Negotiations

Sinbad sighed, sinking into the warm water of the marble bath. Pouring in through the wall of columns, bright moonlight reflected off the pool's smooth surface. It cast a dancing light show on the dome ceiling. Earlier in the day, the king had said the princess had spoken well of him. He wondered if she was a member of his cult, or perhaps she was just familiar with his books. He supposed it didn't matter. He wasn't going to get to meet her anyway.

That poor girl, locked away like some sort of prisoner. He imagined she would be a wall-flower, shy and delicate. Her voice was probably soft and melodic, and her temperament like the fairest of spring mornings. She would truly be a woman to behold, if only he could.

Soft footsteps echoed off the marble, and Sinbad turned his eyes to a woman in a maid's uniform. She tread barefoot, her hair falling in waves over her shoulder. On her face sat a tight-lipped smile, as though she kept a thousand secrets locked away.

He straightened, breaking out into a seductive smirk. Earlier, the king had informed him that he was welcome to help himself to any of the palace staff. Only the princess was off limits. A shy princess would be nice, but any woman bold enough to walk in on him bathing was surely a delicacy he'd delight in as well.

"Great Hero, I've been sent to..." The woman stopped, her eyes trailing down his exposed chest. He imagined she was curious, and he'd love to let her explore.

"Yes?" He held out a hand in invitation.

The woman regained her composure and smiled enticingly. "I've been sent to help you wash."

His eyes followed her as she glided behind him. Underneath her baggy robes, she was slight, but he could still make out sensuous curves. As she knelt at the edge of the bath, her soft hands landed on his shoulders. They squeezed firmly, kneading the tension out of him. It had been so long since someone had taken care of him like this. He'd been so busy building his country and collecting metal vessels, he hadn't had time to relax. Letting his head fall back, he let out a quiet sigh.

Her hands froze. Sinbad opened his eyes, and their gazes met. Her irises were dark, but they reflected the moonlight, glittering like the night sky. She gave him that tight-lipped smile, full of secrets, and without stripping, she joined him in the water, completely submerging herself. When she rose, the fabric clung to her tightly, hugging every curve.

"I admit," she said, pressing her chest against him. He shivered, the warmth of her skin bleeding through the soaked fabric. "I've read your stories quite a few times, and I have to wonder how much of it is true."

"Of course, I embellish for entertainment value, but the core of the story is true." He wrapped his arms around her, lightly trailing his fingers up her back. Her breath hitched and she let out a small squeak.

"And your reputation as a lover, is that embellished?" Her words were halting, less confident, but her legs wrapped around him. He leaned forward to steal a kiss, but then the jingle of metal resounded through the chamber. Sinbad looked up to see another maid scampering away with his metal vessels. Shoving the girl off him, he scrambled out of the tub and started after her.

"I wouldn't if I were you." It was the girl who'd just been seducing him. She climbed out of the water, wringing out her soaked dress. "A naked man chasing after a maid? You wouldn't want to bring scandal on your hosts would you?"

"You were in on it," he realized, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Your books are very informative, Sinbad. I learned a lot about you, like that you have a weakness for women. I couldn't have pulled this off without your help."

Sinbad charged toward her, grabbing her by the wrist. "What do you want with them? They're worthless to you."

"Relax, you'll get them back." She tugged her hand away indignantly. "I needed them as a bargaining chip. You see, I want to help you. You go on all these grand adventures, and I… well, this is probably the most excitement I've had in my entire life." Her eyes darted to the ground. "I was listening at the banquet today. My father promised that in return for slaying a creature, he will allow you to trade Nemian gold."

"Your… father?" Sinbad swallowed, his eyes fixed on her deceptive maid outfit. "Your father is the king?"

"Yes, and I know him better than anyone. He won't give up control of Nemian gold so easily. He's paranoid, terrified that if other countries get their hands on it, they'll use it against him. So, it is my belief that he does not expect you to return to the surface. He intends for you to die."

"And you plan to help me how?" Sinbad scoffed. "By stealing my metal vessels?"

"I-" She wilted. "I don't know, but I will find a way. If you just keep me with you, I'm sure I'll find something I can do."

Sinbad sighed. "You knew you had nothing to offer me, so you decided to hold my metal vessels hostage to get your way."

"Correct. Aside from which, I have no intention of marrying either of those oafs that were with you, and if you'll forgive me for being blunt, I don't feel comfortable leaving my fate in someone else's hands. So, I have decided you and I will work together."

Sinbad scratched his scalp, mulling over the consequences of granting the princess's wish. She was cloistered away from the world and needed a thrill. He had five metal vessels, so her safety wasn't a big concern. He might anger her father, but it sounded like he didn't intend to keep his end of the deal anyway. Besides, if the princess was right, and he intended to pull some underhanded trick to prevent Sinbad from returning, she might end up becoming useful as a hostage.

He lowered himself before the princess, bowing his head. "Alright. You can come with me. Now, have your servant return my metal vessels."

"No."

"No?" He looked up to find the princess frowning.

"No," she repeated. "What's to keep you from changing your mind? You will get them back when we are in the labyrinth."

_Stubborn. _Rising to his feet, he forced a placating smile. "Princess, I would never go back on my word."

Walking over to a stack of towels, she picked one up and bent over so that her hair hung in a cascade. Then, she began to delicately pat it dry. "I've gotten the impression from your books that deceit is a habit of yours, so no. If you want my trust, you will earn it."

Without another word, she dropped the towel on the floor and walked out, her hips swaying with every step. Some wallflower she had turned out to be. He regretted pitying this crafty seductress. He shook his head and jumped back into the bath.


	3. Appearances

When Sinbad started visiting Attica, it hadn't taken him long to figure out this place was all about appearances. They even had a saying: "What's beautiful is good, and what is good shall soon be beautiful."

Princess Thalia was good. At the feast the next day, she dripped with silks and jewels, her pretty face lit up with filial adoration as her father made a toast. She looked so sweet and innocent, nothing like the cunning vixen that had pilfered his metal vessels last night.

But, if he looked closely enough, there were cracks. When her handmaiden brushed against her, she went stiff, and they would lock eyes for the briefest of moments before quickly looking away. Sinbad raised an eyebrow as he brought a cup of cut wine to his lips. So the princess was sleeping with her handmaid. That wasn't something he saw every day.

At one point, her father leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Sinbad couldn't guess what he had said, but, after that, there was a visible shift in her mood. Her movements were stiff, her smiles fleeting.

Next to Sinbad, the two heroes from the other day were far less observant. They were preoccupied with whether or not she was a suitable prize_._

"It's a bit disappointing." Adonis frowned. "After all the rumors about her, I expected her to be a bit more… unique. She looks just like every other pretty girl."

Theseus scoffed. "I don't see the problem. As king, you can keep as many whores as you like. Visit every once in a while until she gives you a son, then you never have to see her again."

Sinbad cleared his throat. He was promiscuous, but he would never talk about a woman the way these men were. All ladies deserved to be cherished equally. Still, he was more than happy to let someone _else _cherish the woman in question.

By dessert, the novelty of seeing her in broad daylight had worn off. Sinbad busied himself with the servant girl serving him. She was pleasant enough to look at, and every time she laughed, she snorted adorably.

"After this, maybe we could…" He started to invite her back to his room, but the princess's words from last night rung in his head.

"_...You have a weakness for women. I couldn't have pulled this off without your help."_

"Maybe we could what?" She leaned forward expectantly.

"Nevermind." His pride still stung from last night, and part of him was nervous about being fleeced again.

_Damn it. _He had hoped that, if he played his cards right, he could fit in one last pleasant flirtation before he was sealed in an underground tunnel with two crude men and a conniving woman as his company. Just thinking about it made him want to drink, but the wine here was pathetic. She shrugged and retreated to her place over his shoulder.

As she did so, King Hypatos stood, gesturing for his daughter to follow. When he turned away from her, a sour look flashed across her face before she rose and trailed behind him obediently. Her gait was completely different from the sultry, confident sashay of last night. It had been replaced with a prim, even glide. Sinbad and his companions rose as the pair approached.

"Daughter, these men are going to risk their lives in service of this country."

She raised her hands to her mouth, eyes wide and deceptively innocent. "Oh dear…"

"I want you to extend your blessing to one of them. Choose wisely. The winner may become your husband."

"Husband?" Clasping her hands in front of her, she looked up at her father. "How could I possibly choose from among such fine men?"

"You _will_ choose."

Her attempt at evasion having failed, she turned to the men. Her calculating eyes scanned each of them in turn— Adonis, bronze skinned, golden haired, Sinbad, the High King of the Seven Seas, and Theseus, pragmatic and cunning. Her choice was obvious. She'd made it clear who she intended to throw her weight behind last night.

"Heroes, though I wish you all well, I can only offer my blessing to one of you." She stepped forward, removing a ring from her bejeweled fingers. "Theseus Heraclides, you are brave. Your heroics during the Parthevian siege four years ago have not been forgotten, and you are well-loved among my people." He held out his hand, and she placed the jewel in it, curling his fingers around it. "Most of all, you are clever. The heroes of old were strong, but where strength failed them, their intellect carried them through. I should be honored if you returned the victor."

Her stern father nodded his approval.

Stepping back, she put on that tight-lipped smile. He had to wonder what her snub meant, if she had been deceiving him when she said she wanted to support him last night. He wanted to ask her, but as soon as her father dismissed her, she was ushered away.

The rest of the festivities were a drag. The wine was too weak to get drunk on, the women all potential scam-artists like their princess. It wasn't until the procession to the entrance to the tunnels that the princess's handmaiden caught up to him. She spoke out of the side of her mouth, keeping her gaze straight ahead.

"The princess will meet you within. Bring her back safely… or your blood will be on my hands." She shot him one sideways glance, hard enough to kill on its own, and said no more, falling back into the bustling street. Admittedly, the encounter set him on edge. Somehow, it didn't feel like an idle threat— not that he thought she would do any real damage, or even that things would come to that.

The entrance to the underground tunnels was located in a craggy cliff below the palace. It was hidden by trees and shrubbery so that anyone who wasn't looking for it would never find it. Theseus and Adonis adorned themselves with ornate armor of Nemian gold, and Sinbad adjusted the oversized shawl around his shoulders awkwardly. Princess Thalia better keep her word. Without his metal vessels, he was more vulnerable than he would have liked to admit.

Hypatos scowled at them. "Go now. Do not return until the creature is slain."

The three men bowed, and, turning to the dark abyss before them, proceeded.


	4. True Champion

Attica's underground tunnels were a world apart from the gleaming buildings on its surface. They may have once been natural caves, but there were obvious signs that they had been shaped by man long ago— the evenness of the terrain, the uniformity of its width. The air was cool and dank, carrying the scent of moss, and the deeper they ventured, the staler it became. After about an hour, he started to wonder where the princess planned to meet him. She had never specified a location, and besides, would someone like her be caught dead in a place like this? Eventually, he decided he'd been duped. She wasn't going to show—

Slender hands wrapped around his waist from behind, and he froze as the other men marched forward.

"My _true_ champion," she whispered into the back of his neck, the tickle of her breath raising every fine hair on end. "I've come for you as promised."

Slowly, he turned to face her. Gone were the dazzling jewels and modest demeanor that had adorned her in the daylight. A mischievous grin sat upon her lips, and slung over her shoulder was a bulging sack. Her sleeves were hiked up to her elbow and secured with a leather cord, her hair plaited in a loose braid.

Sinbad stared at her bare forearms. In Attica, this was practically considered nudity.

Her smile widened. "Should I cover up? I thought barbarians had less delicate sensibilities."

His flirtatious response was a reflex. "To the contrary, you should strip entirely. I'll be able to focus better on the mission if I'm not busy wondering what's underneath."

The words wiped the grin right off her face. Her breath hitched, her face turning a bright shade of red. She was sly and manipulative, his least favorite kind of person. But, in that brief moment of vulnerability, he forgot his dislike of her. She was suddenly the wallflower he'd imagined her to be, sheltered and shy, longing for a chance to explore the world outside her ivory tower.

Then, she blinked rapidly and looked away. Her hand plunged into her satchel, pulling out one of his metal vessels. Stiffly, she held out the chunky golden necklace in which Valefore resided, refusing to meet his eyes. _Ah, yes. _He'd almost forgotten she was a thief.

"I promised you I would bring them," she mumbled. "I don't go back on my word."

"So it seems," he agreed, accepting her peace offering. Reaching into her bag again, this time she pulled out a ruby ring— Zepar. One by one, she returned his things, until at last Sinbad was fully equipped.

Thalia glanced over her shoulder at the dark path the others had gone down. "We've fallen behind."

"We have, and I'm afraid I'll have to leave you behind to catch up." He had what he needed from her, and she would only hold him back. He turned, prepared to equip Baal and fly the rest of the way.

"No." She grabbed his hand, tugging him back toward her. "You gave me your word, Sinbad."

"Yes, and, as you said, deceit is a habit of mine."

Her grip tightened. "Abandon me now, and I will ensure you never see an ounce of Nemian gold."

He jerked away, freeing himself from her weak grip. There was no doubt this princess held influence in the palace, perhaps even more than her father. After all, she seemed to have enough guards in under her thumb to move around freely without her him knowing.

"How do I know your intentions?" he wondered aloud. "Earlier today, you pledged your support to someone else. Maybe you're here to sabotage me while the husband of your choice slays the creature."

"If only I were so clever." She reached into her bag and fished out a map, pointing to a spot in a complex web of intersecting lines. "This is us. We're headed toward the center of the island. This way is a day and a half of walking, but…" She moved her finger to a straight path arriving at the same destination. "This will get us there in a day and a quarter. Is this evidence enough of my loyalty?"

He sighed. "I'm not convinced you have a loyal bone in your body, Princess, but fine. I'll accept that you've aligned yourself with my interests."

"Your paranoia rivals that of my father's."

"You haven't exactly given me a reason to trust you," he reminded her.

"Since you don't intend to marry me, I'm not particularly concerned with your opinion of me. I was simply setting my contingency plan in motion." She shrugged and shoved the map back in her satchel, brushing past him as she walked in the direction from which they had come. "Of the two men, Theseus is said to be less forgiving. I've only done what I had to do to protect myself." She stopped in front of a large boulder and slid through a narrow gap in the wall. He and the others had completely missed it earlier. She must have waited for them here in total darkness.

"You stealing my metal vessels and threatening me was to protect yourself," he said skeptically, squeezing through the crack. Thalia had made fitting through look easy, but for someone of Sinbad's size, it was more of a challenge.

"Yes." Without further explanation, she crossed her arms and looked off into the darkness ahead. Sinbad finally freed himself and walked up to her, studying the deep frown tugging at her lips. He found himself wondering what a genuine smile would look like from her, or if she was even capable of such a feat.

He scratched his head, and they started walking. So he was going to spend a day and a quarter with no one but this frosty princess for company. He wasn't sure he would survive unless he managed to thaw her out a little. She had to have a soft spot. What did princesses like?

He thought back to another aloof princess from his past, one that had warmed up to him. What was it he had done that won her over? Wasn't it Rurumu who had instilled some humility in her? His steps faltered as a fresh wave of grief washed over him. _Damn it. _He'd thought he was past this. Every time he let his guard down, the ache crept back in.

Desperate for a distraction, he prodded Thalia in an attempt to start a conversation.

"What, exactly, are you protecting yourself from?"

She cast him a sideways glance. "If you want an answer, I'll need something in return. I haven't gotten where I am by giving away information for free."

"I'm already letting you tag along," he grumbled. "Isn't that enough?"

"No."

He groaned, letting his head fall back. "Fine. What do you want from me?"

"Tell me a story— one that's not in your books. I want to be the first to hear it."

Her eyes lit up as she spoke. She looked radiant, her cheeks flushing with excitement. So she was capable of genuine emotion after all. She liked stories, and Sinbad had plenty of those.

"You'll keep a secret, right?" He gave her a disarming wink. When her cheeks flushed a bright red, he was pleased to see it had worked. He might just thaw her yet.

"Secrets are my specialty," she whispered.

"I could tell." He looked straight ahead and began to recount his latest adventure. "Did you know I'm married?"

The princess froze in her tracks. Sinbad glanced over his shoulder, chuckling when he saw the color had drained from her face. "What's the matter? Are you disappointed?"

Slowly, she blinked, her cheeks regaining their normal healthy flush. "I suppose when I read your books, I never imagined you to be the type to…"

He raised an eyebrow. "You talk about my books a lot. Are you a fan?"

She averted her gaze, wrapping her arms around herself as though she were cold. "I may have skimmed them over once or twice."

Though he strongly suspected she was underplaying how much she enjoyed his books, he nodded.

"I was promised a story," she reminded him. "Tell me. How did you meet your wife?"

"Wives," he corrected her. "I have several. To be honest, the details are fuzzy. I was in a Torran village, and the chief had offered me the hand of one of his daughters. She was beautiful— tall, athletic, voice clear as a bell."

"She sounds lovely," The princess agreed.

"Well, another man wanted to marry his daughter off to me too, and there was a third girl— she was a bit like you— strong-willed, knew what she wanted, willing to do whatever it took to get it. She was interested as well. So, that night, they held a feast in my honor, and they kept filling my cup, urging me to drink more. I got really drunk." He ignored her as she rolled her eyes. "After that, it gets fuzzy. The next thing I remember is waking up married to half the women in the village."

"And what did you do, Lady Killer of the Seven Seas? Spend the rest of the day consummating every single marriage?"

He chuckled. "No. Luckily, Ja'far rescued me. If you've read my books, you should be familiar with him."

She nodded. "The voice of reason."

Sinbad shrugged. "Ja'far distracted them while I snuck away. We convinced them I would come back soon, but…" Scratching the back of his head, he sighed. "... I think I'll just never go back. I'm not marriage material."

"I feel bad for them." Thalia tilted her head. "Every little girl looks forward to her wedding day."

"Yet, you're going to all these lengths to avoid it. Does that have anything to do with you protecting yourself?"

"Yes. You asked what I'm protecting myself from. The truth is, I'm afraid of ending up like my mother."

Sinbad recalled that a few years ago, the queen of Attica had died tragically. The official word from the palace was that she had succumbed to illness, but there had been rumors that it was actually a suicide.

As she spoke, her voice trembled. "She was a kind woman, but the palace— my _father_— changed her. She was never meant to be kept in a cage. It drove her mad."

"I'm sorry for your loss." He really was. He'd lost his own mother to illness, and he still remembered the grief it had brought him.

Thalia shook her head. "She and I weren't exactly… close."

Sinbad didn't ask her to elaborate. It didn't seem appropriate.

"I thought, just once, I _needed _an adventure. So, when I learned what was going on with the beast, I arranged for you to come." She grinned sheepishly. "No one knows adventure like you. If you manage to save me from an arranged marriage for another couple of years, that's even better."

Princess Thalia was manipulative, just like every other person who'd used him. But, when she was open like this, it was so easy to forget. Against his better judgment, he found himself feeling sorry for her.

"You know, you could have just asked me to help, right? If you'd just been honest, I would have—"

She cut him off. "Don't lie to me. You don't do anything that doesn't benefit you. No one gets as powerful as you by being altruistic."

Perhaps she struck a nerve because Sinbad struggled to keep his composure. Through a forced smile, he said, "Don't confuse me with yourself."

The look she gave him stripped him bare. She could see into his dark soul where he kept a thousand secrets. Every lie he'd told, every life he'd sacrificed, she saw _all of it._

She gave him that secretive smile, only this time, it felt like he was in on the scheming. He didn't want to be. He looked away, unable to face her. "We're not the same."

No, they weren't the same. He was worse.


	5. Encounter

Sinbad had been right about Thalia slowing him down, but, thanks to the shortcut she had discovered, the damage was minimal. They still reached their destination before the others.

Any worries he'd had about recognizing when they'd reached their destination were immediately dispelled as soon as he laid eyes on entrance to the labyrinth was located in a wide cavern deep underground. Other than the tunnel-like shape of its entrance, it was like nothing else in the dank cave. It shone brightly, lit by some unknown light source. The only thing he'd ever seen that was remotely similar was…

"It's a dungeon."

He glanced beside him to where Thalia had been only to find she had vanished. His heart skipping a beat, he swung his head around wildly. She wasn't the best person, but she was his responsibility. If she got lost in the caves and Hypatos blamed him, he'd never get his hands on Nemian gold.

From behind him came a shuffling, and he whirled around, letting out a deep breath. There, he spotted her prying a sword from the grip of a human skeleton, using a brightly glowing stone for light. For a moment, she struggled to lift the weapon. Then, she put the stone back in her bag and used both hands, heaving the sword up triumphantly.

"What do you think, Sinbad? Do I look like one of your companions?"

His eyes scanned her slight body, noting the way she trembled under its weight. Despite her radiant beam, the sword really didn't fit her at all. She looked more like a child than the adventurer she so desperately wanted to be. Sinbad chuckled, striding over to her side and confiscating the weapon.

"A delicate beauty like you doesn't need such a thing. I'll take care of any fighting."

She gagged, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. "And they say chivalry is dead."

With his arm straight out, he dropped the sword to the ground pointedly, refusing to break eye contact. This princess needed to learn her place. She was more valuable to him alive and unharmed than throwing herself into danger for a thrill.

She stared back with her arms crossed over her chest. "I want a weapon."

"And I want you _safe._"

"I'll be _safer _with a weapon to _protect myself _with." She raised herself onto her toes as though she believed that she would be more intimidating coming up to his nose rather than his chin. She was wrong.

"Somehow I doubt that." Sinbad placed a hand on her head and pushed her back down flat on her heels. "You could barely lift that thing."

She stared at him incredulously, touching the top of her head where his hand had just been. She wasn't used to being pushed around, it seemed.

"You—" Thalia froze mid-sentence, her eyes widening as they drifted behind him. "Look out!"

She threw her full weight onto his body, knocking both of them to the floor as the head of an ax swung wildly where his skull had been moments ago. Gripping the weapon were the arms and torso of a man, but instead of the head of one, the face of a bull snarled down at him. It let out a howling roar, revealing the sharp teeth of a carnivore.

Keeping his wits about him, Sinbad shoved the princess aside. He ignored her plaintive yelp, shouting, "Spirit of Wrath and Heroes, I command thee and thy Household to feed on my Magoi and empower my will with your great ability! Come forth, Baal!"

In an instant, the soft cloth of his clothing was gone, and in its place, the familiar heat of his djinn equip tingled against his skin. The creature swung its ax again, just grazing the scales of his armor. Sinbad rolled out of the way, positioning himself between the creature and the woman he needed to protect. Raising his sword up high, he concentrated his energy into its tip, the static of electricity raising his hairs on their ends. "Bararaq Saiqa!"

Lightning flashed from his weapon, striking the beast in the chest. That kind of attack was enough to kill any living creature. He turned around, extending his arm to the cowering princess.

"I suppose that concludes our arrangement."

From behind him came another loud roar, this one agitated. Sinbad froze, his hand still reaching out. The creature wasn't dead, but how? It had been struck with lightning from Baal. Before the shock wore off, Thalia threw herself at him again, knocking him sideways just as a searing hot pain tore through his side, where his armor left him bare. His hand shot to the spot, where hot, sticky blood was quickly pooling around a wound.

"Are you alright?" Thalia's frantic voice echoed off the walls. She scrambled to her feet as the creature turned its attention toward her, its glassy eyes taking on a ravenous expression. Another swing of the ax and she dodged deftly, leading the creature away from him. "Please tell me you have a plan. You always have one in your books."

"Relax," he pushed himself up, wincing as his injury twinged. "I underestimated my opponent. It won't happen again." He released his equip of Baal. Hanging around his neck, Valefor hummed with energy as though volunteering to battle. If lightning couldn't hurt the creature, perhaps ice might do some damage. "Spirit of Falsehood and Prestige! Dwell within my body, Valefor!"

His energy reconfigured itself once again, this time mirroring the image of the fox-like Valefor. Drawing from the humidity in the air, Sinbad gathered dozens of frozen, crystalline spears in the air around him. He fixed his eyes on the creature quickly closing in on the cornered princess.

"Galefor Zairu!" At his command, the spears charged toward his enemy. They were supposed to impale the creature, but instead they shattered on its back, scattering on the floor like broken glass.

"Sinbad!" Thalia had nowhere to go. She ducked as the ax swung down, sparking against the rock wall on impact.

_Shit. _Sinbad let go of his djinn equip again, rushing to insert himself between Thalia and her assailant. She leaped aside as he swung Baal upward, clashing with the creature's next attack. It was strong— Sinbad had countered few blows delivered with this much force, and none of them had been from humans. His scimitar tore out of his grasp, clattering on the floor. The creature raised its ax again.

Then, a screaming started up, the war-cry of a madwoman. Thalia swung the sword she had tried to wield earlier with all her might, striking the monster in its thick, muscular back. Her attack didn't penetrate very deep, but the creature made a horrible noise, shoving her to the ground and backing toward the entrance to the dungeon, where it disappeared into the entrance.

"Did it hurt you?" Leaving her sword, Thalia scrambled to his side, pulling up his shirt to inspect his wound. "Are you going to live?"

Sinbad winced as her finger grazed the injury, prying her hand away. "Why were you able to hurt it? Nothing I threw even fazed it."

"I hardly think that matters right—"

"Sinbad?" Adonis's amused voice echoed off the chamber walls. He entered through a different tunnel than he and Thalia had taken.

"And a woman." Theseus sneered. "Of course, what else did we expect with _your _reputation?"

"Lady Killer of the Seven Seas," Adonis nodded. "You are truly a worthy adversary."

Thalia stayed frozen leaning over him, perhaps afraid that if she looked up, she would reveal her identity to a man she might have to marry. Of course, if Sinbad hadn't just failed so spectacularly, she wouldn't be in this situation.

Sinbad laughed, drawing Princess Thalia into his lap possessively. Even if she managed to fake her identity for now, at this point there was no scenario where she wouldn't be found out eventually. Since her contingency plan was no longer going to work, he might as well end the charade now. Besides, Thalia would be more useful to him without mixed loyalties. He was going to need her obedience if they were going to continue to pursue the beast together, especially if she was the key to defeating it.

"It turns out, your princess and I have a lot in common."

Silently, she mouthed, "What are you doing?"

He lightly trailed his fingers up her back, forcing her to arch into him. The other men's faces hardened.

"Can you believe this chaste, virtuous woman was so desperate not to marry the two of you that she came to me in the bath and offered herself in return for my help?"

"You scoundrel," she hissed, pushing herself off his lap and rose so that she was standing over him. "You dare slander a princess."

"Is that not what happened?" Sinbad grinned up at her rakishly. "Perhaps the steam was messing with my head… or maybe it was the sight of your lovely—"

"Enough!" She looked away, her cheeks burning. "My father was kind enough to take you in, and you would spread such foolish lies."

"Then, what are you doing here, Princess?" Theseus's calculating eyes scanned her up and down, resting on her immodestly revealed forearms. Quickly, she tugged her sleeves down.

"The goddess put it on my heart to assist my suitors in any way I can, as many of the women in the old stories did." She dug in her bag and pulled out a jar. "I brought food, medicine, anything you heroes might need." She turned back to Adonis and Theseus, holding out the container to him. "As this man has greatly offended me, I will ask that one of you attend to his injury."

Sinbad scowled as Adonis stepped forward, taking the medicine from her with a charming wink. How had she played off her lie so easily?

As Adonis rubbed the slimy contents of the jar into his stinging wound, he gritted his teeth.

"So you had a run-in with the beast, huh?" Adonis let out a chuckle as he finished applying the salve. "You know, you almost had me with that story about her visiting you in the bath, but then I thought about it and it doesn't add up."

"Oh?" Sinbad raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

He flashed Sinbad a boyish grin. "What woman would pass up the chance to marry me?" Standing up, he walked back toward where Theseus was ingratiating himself to Thalia.

"I must say, Princess, I never expected we would meet in a situation like this." He bowed politely. "Your reputation certainly precedes you."

"My reputation? What exactly have you heard about me?"

"Rumors of your beauty abound, Princess Thalia."

She started to roll her eyes but caught herself. Sinbad caught himself laughing quietly. He could do better than that. "I've heard much more about you than your beauty, Princess." Slowly, he pushed himself off the ground to stand once more. "Like that your sharp wit and charm can bring the best of men to their knees."

She locked eyes with him, her eyes glittering with amusement. "You _do _flatter me, Hero."

She knew they were empty words.

_Tell her what she wants to hear, _David encouraged him. _That's how you'll wrap her around your finger._

Sinbad smirked. He had already pinned down her weakness. "What the rumors failed to convey was your bravery in the face of danger. I owe you my life."

His words hit their intended target. The adventurous princess's grin faltered, but her eyes lit up. "Is that so?"

Adonis threw his arm around Sinbad. "But you owe me too, right? I disinfected your wound. You could have died of sepsis."

Sinbad smiled politely. "Perhaps I'll consider repaying you _after _I win this competition."

Adonis chuckled, approaching the Princess. "Fear not. I won't let anyone else win your hand. I know how much you're looking forward to our wedding night."

Thalia quirked an eyebrow. "Do you?"

He leaned in, crossing the boundary of polite distance for two strangers. "Oh, I do."

Thalia shuffled over to Sinbad's side and muttered under her breath. "I don't believe I've ever been quite this popular. Is this how you felt to wake up to so many wives?"

Her remark brought a smile to his lips. "Imagine this from twelve different women."

She shuddered.

"I don't suppose the beast went into that glowing door thing," Theseus muttered, kicking a rock through the threshold.

Adonis crouched low, inspecting the tracks in the dirt. "It looks like that's exactly where it went."

"They could have asked me," Sinbad muttered under his breath. "I was here when it happened."

Thalia gave him a knowing look. "And you would have lied."

Damn right he would have.

As the two other men disappeared into the light, Sinbad held his hand out to the princess. "Are you sure you want to come? It only gets more dangerous from here."

She nodded resolutely, placing her hand in his. Grinning, he ushered her forward into the light. So long as he kept her on his side, he suspected he had a secret weapon.


	6. Trust

A sprawling abandoned city overtaken by greenery, the ancient facades of its buildings worn with millennia of rain— this was most certainly a dungeon. To Thalia, who had never set foot in a place like this, it must have looked like a graveyard. Pillared buildings of marble that had long ago lost its gleam crumbled before them. The cracked roads were rough, patches of moss and flowers pushing through the gaps and potholes. He breathed in the fresh air, relieved after having spent so long in that dank tunnel.

Beside him, Thalia wasted no time in observing her surroundings. Something about the wall nearest them drew her attention. Stepping forward, she ran her fingers along ancient letters carved into it.

"What writing is this? It's not Torran."

Sinbad inched near her to get a better look. Indeed, it wasn't the Torran language, as he had come to expect in dungeons. Closely inspecting one of the ancient runes, he furrowed his eyebrows.

"I have no idea."

Thalia craned her neck, looking over her shoulder. "And the others. They entered just before we did, so where are they?"

Sinbad shrugged. "Sometimes there's a time lag between one person entering the dungeon and arriving. They could still be on their way, or they could have gotten here hours before us. There's no way to know."

"So they could have already defeated the beast," she said, her eyes cast to the ground. She kicked a pebble, and it landed on a tile that shifted under its weight. Arrows flew out of holes in the wall, arching toward the tile with deadly precision. An unarmored person would have been killed on the spot.

"Or they could be dead." He chuckled as the color drained from her face. He was used to these sorts of dangers, but this was all new to her. "I'm sure they're fine, though. They're experienced warriors, and I don't see any bodies littering the floor, do you?"

"Not _yet._" she muttered. "What about me, though? I'm not exactly an experienced warrior."

"I guess you'll just have to trust me to get you through this." He took her hand and pulled her closer to him. "You made the decision to come. Now our only choice is to work together."

That was the plan. Make her dependent on him so that she couldn't betray him. Then, if his theory that only she could harm the creature was right, he was guaranteed victory.

She tugged her hand away. "Well, then. Lead."

Guiding her forward, he searched for a pattern in the tiles. They were each marked with one of two runes, a circle with a cross through it or a mark that resembled a trident. The one that had triggered the trap was marked with the former. It was a straight-forward puzzle once he knew what he was looking for.

Carefully, he led her from "safe" tile to "safe" tile until they reached the street. The last stretch before the main road was the toughest. The trident tiles sometimes ranged triple Thalia's stride, and though she managed to jump, his heart skipped a beat each time she skirted the edge of one of the "danger" tiles. She was his responsibility. If he let her die, if he let _anyone _else die…

Two years ago. Two years ago, he had been betrayed by a man he had called a friend, a magi he had called an ally, and a woman he had called his companion. So many people had died because of their stupid war, the one they had used him and his country to facilitate—

"Sinbad, I can't do this. It's too far." Thalia's voice drew him out of his spiraling thoughts and back to the present. She had reached the worst one, the final gap. She stared at the swatch of crossed circles apprehensively, then at Sinbad, her eyebrows furrowed. "If I don't make this, I'll die, right?"

"Just jump," he ordered her. "I'll catch you."

He wouldn't let anything happen to her, not while she was under his protection. He needed her.

Taking in a deep breath, she bent her knees and pushed off, tumbling into his arms. His side twinged plaintively, but he ignored it, concentrating instead on pulling her firmly against him so that when her feet touched the ground, they were well past the threshold of the puzzle.

She didn't let go right away, and neither did he. Instead, he let out a relieved laugh. "You did it, Princess. You're alive."

Slowly, her hands slid down his arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake. He drew in a deep breath, straightening his spine. It was an illogical reaction, but he was starting to find nothing about Thalia was logical, not to him.

As Thalia fixed her eyes on his injured side, she asked anxiously, "Did I hurt you?"

He took a step back, ridding himself of her concern. Its apparent authenticity was unsettling coming from her. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about it."

"I know we disinfected it, but we should really bandage it, too." Her hand plunged into her bag, drawing out a roll of gauze. "Just to be safe."

Before he could protest, she was on him, drawing up his shirt. Her knuckles brushed against his abdomen, sending a single shiver up his spine. Loathsome or not, she was still a woman, and he was still a slave to his desires. This could be another trap. He knew better than to touch a fire twice, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

He stayed silent as she knelt before him, measuring a length of bandage and tearing it with her teeth. The fabric caught on her bottom lip, tugging just enough to draw his attention. Gods, her lips looked so inviting, like they had been stained by his favorite wine.

As her arms wrapped around his waist, she rose to her knees, and her breath was hot and steady on his stomach. It raised goosebumps on his flesh. Each brush of air against his skin drove him closer to madness. He imagined wrapping his fingers in her hair and guiding herup to his lips, stealing a kiss from those perfect, red lips.

Then, she pulled back and placed one hand flat on his stomach, holding the gauze steady as she secured it. More goosebumps, this time all over. She pulled away far too soon, and he was left unsated, his thoughts still lingering on locking lips with a woman he didn't even like..

She stood up and squinted into the bright, open sky. "This place is underneath Attica? How is that possible?"

That was it? _That _was what she was focusing on? Had she not felt the tension between them just then, not noticed the way her touch had affected him?

Then he remembered, to someone like her, dungeons were a foreign concept. Of course he wasn't her priority.

"Dungeons don't exist in the same space or time as our world," he explained. "They're something else entirely."

Crouching down, she brushed the petal of a flower growing out of a crack in the cobblestone road with her finger. "So we're not in Attica at all."

"We're not in any country, Princess."

"Then there are no laws here."

His lips twitched upward. "I didn't say that. You're familiar with what a djinn is, correct?"

Hiking her sleeves back up, Thalia nodded. "They're the guardians of the dungeon. They grant their power to the one they deem worthy of being a king. That is how one 'captures' a dungeon."

He nodded. It seemed she had studied his books thoroughly.

"So, I'll get to meet a djinn? You have to conquer the dungeon for us to get out, right?"

Sinbad folded his arms approvingly. "Correct. There's no other way out. But…" He looked at the line of buildings spread out before him. "This is a little less contained than the dungeons I've seen before. It might take us a while to navigate."

She frowned. "I hope Sappho can cover for me for that long."

Sinbad remembered the way the handmaiden's touch had made Thalia stiff. She did the same to Thalia that Thalia had done to him.

"Sappho is your maid?" he asked.

Thalia nodded.

"She's very protective of you. Threatened to kill me if I didn't bring you back safely."

"It sounds like her." The sad, gentle smile that settled itself across Thalia's face unnerved him somehow. It made her too likable. If Sinbad had learned anything in his life, it was that likable people were the most treacherous. "She's a wonderful woman."

"She cares for you," he observed, studying her reaction. She seemed to wilt, her eyes casting themselves to the ground.

"She cares for someone else more."

Maybe he'd been wrong about them sleeping together. Perhaps that had happened in the past, but it seemed to no longer be the case. He didn't ask for details about whatever had occurred between them. In fact, he doubted it was a subject she wanted to discuss.

"Come, on." he gestured for her to follow him ahead. "We should get moving.

* * *

The streets of this city were haunted. There were no shadowy figures, no vengeful spirits, but Sinbad could feel the presence of its inhabitants everywhere. It was in the table settings still laid out completely undisturbed in front of a restaurant. It was in the silence of the market, in the emptiness of the decaying vegetable stands with nothing but cracked, black residue remaining in the displays. It was in the dusty toys left in the middle of the road. Once, this place must have been lively. Now, it was a ghost town.

As the sun passed below the horizon, a bone-deep chill settled over him. Thalia was cold too. She shivered by his side, tugging her sleeves back down, hugging herself, doing everything she could to keep warm. Eventually, Sinbad decided they needed to set up camp.

Debris was everywhere, and he quickly gathered enough wood and dried weeds to build a substantial fire. They holed up in one of the many abandoned buildings, and the hearth saw its first use for what must have been a millennium. Thalia sprawled out nearby, propping her head up on her elbow.

Her flowing dress draped over her lithe body, hinting at those womanly curves that had lured him in during their first meeting. The low light of the fire bathed her in a warm glow. It flickered in her eyes, which remained steady on him.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "Thank you for helping. I know your opinion of me must be low."

"That's not true." It was a lie. Though he wouldn't exactly call her irritating, she had still manipulated and used him.

"It's okay." She flashed him a guilty smile. "I've never really been good at making friends, anyway."

_I wonder why, _he thought snidely. Then he caught sight of her expression and froze. Why did she look so disappointed? Had she _hoped _to be his friend? Then he remembered how much she seemed to love his books and realized that she probably did admire him on some level.

He sighed. Pretty women really were his weakness. "We didn't start off on the best of terms, no. I'd say there's a… _small_ chance things could improve between us. I just need to know I can trust you."

She pushed her torso off the ground, leaning toward him. "And how do I earn that?"

He thought about it for a long while. Was she redeemable in his eyes? She had returned his metal vessels as promised, assisted him in the battle against the creature, and he could respect her intelligence, even if she continued to weaponize it against him.

"If I can't, it's fine. I'm used to—"

"Time," he answered. "I need time."

* * *

_**A/N: Hey! I hope everyone's doing well! I know this can be a hard time of year. I just wanted to let you guys know that for the month of November, I probably won't work on Courage much since I decided to make Labyrinth my NaNoWriMo project and NaNo takes up the bulk of my writing energies. If you're a member of the NaNoWriMo site, feel free to add me as a buddy! I have a preview for the sequel to Courage up on there. I'll put a link in my profile.**_


	7. Catoblepas

It was a shame to let the fire die down. As the warm light shrank, Thalia inched closer, refusing to let the chill of the darkness reclaim her.

Sinbad, on the other hand, pulled his shawl around him more tightly, willing the cold away. He wasn't used to this temperature either. Most of his life had been spent in deserts and tropical regions. Though the air here was nowhere near the freezing climate of Imuchakk, he hadn't come prepared for anything beyond the normal temperature of an underground cave.

Practically on top of the fire now, Thalia had begun to shiver, curling up into a ball. She looked pathetic and miserable over there by herself. As a spoiled and sheltered princess in a moderate climate, she probably had never tasted the bitterness of cold in her life. An involuntary shiver ripped through him, and he glanced at her. There was one way they were going to make it through the night comfortably.

"If you're cold, I have a solution," Sinbad offered, attempting to sound dispassionate, like he wasn't just looking for excuses to touch her. "We could huddle together for warmth."

"Why- why can't we just b- build up the fire again?" She tossed her poking stick in the fire in a last-ditch attempt to keep it alive..

Lifting himself off the floor, he walked over to her, lowering himself to her side and drawing her into his arms. Her warmth was a welcome reprieve from the punishing air. For the first time, he noticed her scent, sweet and heady, probably a blend of luxurious perfumes. His heart lept in his chest, but he ignored it, instead answering her question. "It's dangerous to leave a fire burning unattended. I have to sleep too, you know."

Though, he wasn't sure if that was going to be possible when the woman next to him was so tempting.

She sank into him, warming her cold hands against his stomach. Her touch sent a jolt through him, raising his hairs on end. She felt it too, right? The way she'd looked at him that first night, had that been part of her act?

"This is highly inappropriate," she muttered.

"Only if you want it to be." This time, it wasn't a reflex. He was genuinely offering.

She laughed into his neck, her shivering finally subsiding. "You truly are fearless, Womanizer of the Seven Seas." Her words were quiet, the light brush of her warm breath teasing his collarbone with every word. "My father would kill you."

"He doesn't have to know." Sinbad laid down, pulling her with him. "I have a feeling this won't be the first thing you've ever hidden from him."

She hooked a finger in the collar of his shirt. "My list of sins grows longer each day, but I'm afraid you won't be one of them."

He grinned. "We still don't know how large this dungeon is. You'll have plenty of time to change your mind."

Squeezing her eyes shut, she rested her head on his arm and gave him that secretive smile. "We'll see."

* * *

Sinbad stirred, comforted by the familiar sensation of waking to find himself tangled with a beautiful woman. With her eyes closed, the morning light spilling over her face she looked almost angelic. Her cheeks flushed a healthy pink, her messy hair spilling over her face. It was hard to believe this was the same conniving person who'd stolen his metal vessels and then outwitted him when he'd tried to expose her schemes.

His eyes trailed down to her mouth, where a lock of hair was stuck to her bottom lip. Against his better judgment, the corner of his lips tugged up into a smile. Not even she could keep up that perfect facade when she was asleep. Slowly, he brought his hand up to her face, brushing the hair away.

"Mmm…" Her hand reached up to stroke his face. "Sappho…" Her eyebrows pulled together as she ran her fingers along the stubble of his chin. "Sapph…?"

Her eyes shot open.

"Oh."

Hurriedly, she untangled herself from him, moving her hand to push a mess of carob hair away from her face. Sinbad stifled a laugh when he realized her cheeks were beet red. It wasn't _that _big a deal. She'd been disoriented and thought he was her maid… and possibly ex-bed mate, by the sound of it.

"Good morning, Princess." He grinned at her playfully. "Don't sound so disappointed."

Wordlessly, she stood and marched stiffly to her bag in the corner of the room, where she withdrew two apples, both red as her face, and held one out.

"No need to be shy." Sinbad pushed himself off the ground and snatched the fruit out of her hand. "Your maid isn't here, but I'm more than happy to take care of your _every _need." He took a bite from her apple, licking his lips as its juices dribbled down his chin

"Don't be ridiculous." She let out an anxious laugh. "You don't trust me, remember? Your penchant for sleeping with women before you get to know them is why you're here in the first place."

"Fair enough." He took another bite, hiding the grimace the fact that she was right brought to his face. "Let me know if you change your mind."

Thalia shot him a sideways glance before staring at her apple. After a few moments, she shoved it back into her bag.

"What, you're not going to eat?"

"Your crude advances have spoiled my appetite."

"Well, I think I know how to get it back." He approached her, throwing his arm around her shoulder. "Let's get walking, shall we?"

* * *

This dungeon was empty. They had been wandering these endless, winding streets for hours and run into dead end after dead end. Where were Theseus and Adonis? Was he even taking Thalia in the right direction? It struck him that he could just fly above the buildings. Then, he would at least be able to get a better idea of the landscape.

"Princess, wait a moment. I need to check something out."

Thalia paused, slumping down against the side of a building and inspecting her swollen feet. "I'm going to need more than a moment."

He nodded, confident he could afford to give her a break. "Spirit of Wrath and Heroes, I command thee and thy Household to feed on my Magoi and empower my will with your great ability! Come forth, Baal!"

Sinbad held up his sword, waiting for that familiar hum of energy from his djinn equip. Instead, he felt nothing. Why hadn't he managed to summon Baal? He'd been able to do so in other dungeons.

"Is something wrong?" Thalia asked, clutching her bag against her chest. "When you said that before, you turned into some kind of blue-haired lizard-man."

She made his full-body djinn equip sound so unattractive when she phrased it like that. "It's going to be alright. It seems like my magoi is being suppressed, but I can still fight." He paused, a sour smell filling his nostrils. "Do you smell that?"

Thalia gagged. "That's not you? I thought perhaps the apple gave you indigestion."

"No, it smells like…"

_Blood. _The streets that day had been filled with it. Still warm, still sticky, still crimson.

_Charred flesh. _So many bodies had been burnt beyond recognition, like Rurumu's. Beautiful, strong, motherly Rurumu.

_Smoke. _There had been fire everywhere. It had taken him weeks to wash the stench out of his hair.

It smelled like war.

Then, hoof-steps began to echo off the walls of the surrounding buildings, first, far off, then closer. Nearby Thalia, a sickly green mist poured in from an alley. As her empty stomach fought to purge itself, she whimpered between heaves, tears streaming down her face.

"I can't breathe." She coughed, struggling to stand. Failing that, she started to drag herself away. "Help."

If only he could. Sinbad's stomach churned violently. His small breakfast emptied itself on the floor, the taste of bile only worsened by the stench in the air. Memories he tried so hard to suppress replayed themselves behind his eyes until, weak-kneed, he propped himself up using Baal.

Then, the source of the stink appeared, a bull-like creature with midnight black fur, its head bowed low. With each contraction of its rib-cage, more of that wretched green mist poured out. It snorted, sending out a thick plume.

Thalia clawed at the cobblestone beneath her, closing the distance between them. When she reached Sinbad, she grabbed his leg. "I know what it is. Kill it fast. Don't look it in the eye."

Sinbad perhaps should have wondered what would happen if he looked it in the eye, but he couldn't think about anything but escaping that awful smell. With his metal vessels not working his only weapon was Baal, but the stench was too strong. Thalia was right. He could barely breathe from here. If he got too close, he would suffocate. Long-range combat was his only option. He scanned the area, looking for a way to put more distance between himself and the creature. There, against a building, was a barrel still intact. With a little effort, it could get them to the roof.

"Up," he rasped between coughs. "We have to climb."

Thalia nodded, following his gaze. Raising herself up, she leaned against him for support, and they started forward. Sinbad could barely support himself, much less Thalia, but Baal held the weight of both of them. One step. Two steps. Three steps.

The beast snorted again. Sinbad instinctively looked backward, but Thalia's hand shot up and caught his chin. She turned his gaze to hers and firmly shook her head.

_Right. Don't meet its eyes. _

Four steps. Five steps.

They shuffled forward one foot at a time until they reached the barrel. Sinbad climbed onto it first. He would need to lift Thalia up so that she could reach the edge of the roof. Silently, he gestured for her to join him.

She took his hand, coughing and wheezing, and he pulled her up. She was so close to him, her chest pressed against his ribcage. Even like this, her touch nearly unraveled him. If it weren't for that suffocating smell, he would have already killed the monster and the princess would be so impressed, she would throw himself at him, offering her body as a prize. He would bury his head in that soft neck and breathe her in…

The memory of her sweet perfume broke through the oppressive, all-consuming stench, and he gathered the strength to hoist her up onto his shoulders.

From there, she struggled to pull herself up. He supported her legs as she grunted, gulping in mouth-fulls of what must have been comparatively breathable air. Then, using his hands, she pushed off, thrusting Sinbad downward. The added force was too much for the aged barrel. With a loud crack, the wood under one of his feet gave way.

_Shit._

The creature let out an irritated grunt from behind him. Above, Thalia had swung her legs over the edge and was now reaching to help him. He jerked his foot out of the hole just as hoof steps began to charge in his direction. Thalia grabbed him and hoisted him, swearing loudly. It was enough. She managed to pull him up enough that he could grab on to the edge and pull himself up.

Air. Sweet, fresh air. Sinbad inhaled loudly, laughing victoriously as he collapsed on top of Thalia, knocking her down with him. At first, she sat still, gawking at him. Then, her eyes softened, and her gaping jaw closed. She joined in his merriment, throwing her head back and giggling.

"You reek," she finally told him, pushing him off.

_You don't exactly smell pleasant yourself, _he thought to himself. Though, he would never say such a thing about a lady out loud.

But of course, the creature was still down there, and he had to kill it or else they might find themselves back in its path. Lifting himself back up, he glanced around the building tops, looking for something to use as a long-range weapon. There, on this same building, a large, precariously perched slab of stone threatened to topple over. All it needed was a little push.

He positioned himself behind it and called out to the creature. "Hey! Over here!"

As the beast charged forward, Thalia's hands landed on his shoulder, gripping tightly. He ignored them, focusing on the beast. _Almost there. Almost… _

"Now!" Thalia shouted just as he pushed the massive rubble off the roof. There was a horrible noise, a cry of agony cut short by the final impact— stone crashing against stone.

He and Thalia peered over the edge, watching the dust settle. The creature lay motionless under the splintered stone, the cloud of green smog dissipating around it. It wasn't breathing. It was dead.

He looked to Thalia. "You said you knew what it was. What was it?"

"A catoblepas." She stood, brushing off her skirt. Unfortunately, the odor still clung to both of them, but it was at least tolerable now. "It's a creature from the stories my maids used to tell me."

"And what would have happened if I'd looked it in the eye?"

"You would have died." She held out her hand, offering to help him up. "But you didn't. You trusted me."

He glanced at her, calculating the cost of refusing her help. Just because he had listened to her in a moment of desperation didn't mean he trusted her. It only meant information from her was more valuable than no information at all. She'd made the mistake of confusing strategy with faith. He could use this. Use her. Use her body. Did it matter if he did? In this game they were playing, the game all people in power played, one of them would end up hurting the other anyway. You either used others or got used. That was the way the world worked.

Except, looking at her now, her eyes were gentle, warm. She was nothing like Barbarossa, the traitorous general that had planned to use Sinbad's country as a place to gather "inferior" races and commit genocide, or Judar, the powerful sorcerer that had pretended to be on Sinbad's side before stabbing him in the back. She was more like Serendine— kind, compassionate… desperate. She would betray him to save her own skin, which he could understand, maybe even forgive, but it simply wasn't in his best interest to let her get too close.

Her guard was down. He would let her think he trusted her.

Reaching out, he took her hand, letting her help him up. "You're quite brave, Princess." A grin slid across his face as she flushed. "Most women would have fainted in your position."

He'd said something wrong. It was obvious. Her lips pursed, and she made a visible effort not to roll her eyes.

"Yes, women are _such _inferior creatures except for me, the one you're trying to seduce. Do you think that by putting other women down, you'll make me feel special? That I'll throw myself into your arms because you acknowledged me?"

"I didn't mean it like that," he quickly amended. "It's just that most women…"

"Most women have survival instincts," she quipped. "I don't know how you can spend time around so many powerful women and still talk like we're all damsels waiting to be rescued from our towers."

"You're not?" he asked quietly. "Waiting to be rescued from your tower, that is?"

That rendered her silent. He could see it. She was aching to stretch her wings, but the society she lived in kept her in a gilded cage. She may have found ways to make that cage more comfortable, but, in the end, it would always be a cage.

"No one can rescue me," she finally answered. "Not even the High King of the Seven Seas."

He didn't attempt to comfort her with false promises. Rescuing her was never something he'd intended anyway.

Scanning the horizon line, he looked for anything of note. The city seemed to be laid out in a circular grid. It stretched as far as the eye could see, and no buildings stuck out to him as particularly notable. What did catch his attention was a large body of water in what appeared to be the epicenter of the city— perfect for bathing. He needed to get this foul stench off of him before it gave him nightmares.

"Come on, Princess." He gestured for her to follow him as he climbed down from the rooftop. "I know where we're going."

* * *

Sinbad laughed jovially, chucking off his metal vessels and white shawl, The water steamed into the cool night air; it was a hot spring. As he moved to lift his shirt over his head, Thalia's firm hand stopped him.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Bathing." He shrugged her off, stripping to reveal his sculpted, bronzed chest. This physique was the result of years of hard work. He wasn't uncomfortable showing it off, much less ashamed. "Are you coming?"

Thalia spun away, her shoulders hunching as she hugged herself tightly. "I hardly think it's proper—"

Sinbad laughed, untying the knot holding up his bottom and letting it fall to the floor. "Suit yourself, but…" He walked up behind her, whispering in her ear. "...you didn't have a problem crossing that line a couple of nights ago."

She swallowed thickly, taking in a ragged breath. His face was so close, he could feel the warmth radiate from her cheeks.

"I think you liked what you saw," he pressed on. "You're just too shy to admit it."

Her eyes drifted sideways, locking with his. "I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't see anything of interest."

"If there's no temptation, then we have no reason to bathe separately. It'll be safer to stick together…" He grinned impishly. "...right?"

Her gaze averted itself once more. "Do not toy with me, barbarian. Go bathe. I will await my turn."

"As you command, Princess." He slinked off, puffing out his chest and checking over his shoulder in hopes of catching her sneaking a peek.

She remained rigid, facing away from him and hugging herself. As her slender fingers traced the length from her shoulder to her elbow, her head tilted backward. Her back arched, pushing her chest up and forward. It was a strangely sensual gesture. Somehow, this moment didn't feel meant for his eyes.

Quickly, he looked away. Was she remembering how he had touched her that night? Or was she thinking of someone else? Perhaps it was the maid that had broken her heart.


End file.
